Resilient Jewel Case

ABSTRACT

A disk case configured generally as a traditional jewel case but with the base and lid formed of resilient materials such as polypropylene. Pivot bosses inwardly project from rearwardly extending tabs of the lid into main openings formed in upstanding side walls of the base, the main openings having radially inwardly projecting tabs that engage an annular groove of each pivot boss, a slot opening being formed in each side wall proximate one of the tabs for resiliently permitting outward deflection of its associated tab during insertion of the pivot bosses into the main openings. Main ramps can be formed in the side walls and a bevel formed on each pivot boss for facilitating spreading of the tabs during assembly, and the bevel can be aligned with one of the tabs in the closed position of the lid for facilitating full entry of the pivot bosses into the main openings.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to optical data disks such as compact disks (CDs) and video disks (DVDs) that have central circular locating openings, and more particularly to devices for protectively enclosing such disks for storage of same.

Most commonly in the past, containers known as “jewel cases” were used for storing data disks. Such containers have a clear plastic body and a pivotally connected clear plastic lid, an insert member fitting within the body and being formed with the various disk-contacting surfaces and associated members. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,671 to Liu et al., which is incorporated herein by this reference.) A narrow indicia-bearing portion of the insert extends flush with a top surface of the lid proximate the pivot connection, the top surface of the lid being correspondingly foreshortened. Heretofore, the clear plastic polystyrene material used in fabrication of prior art jewel cases was excessively brittle and fragile, resulting in frequent cracking and breaking, especially when a case is dropped. Consequently, various opaque materials have been used more recently, typically configured with base and lid portions integrally formed with a connecting “living hinge”, and disk-contacting members also being formed in the base portion and optionally also in the lid portion. The use of flexible materials to form containers in the traditional jewel case configuration has been avoided because the conventional jewel case hinge configuration requires a relatively high degree of rigidity for maintaining the hinged connection between the base and lid.

An optical disk package formed of a resiliently flexible material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,575 to Choi et al., the package having first and second halves and a pivotal connection that is formed by headed protruding members of one of the halves being slid transversely into respective recesses of the other half, the recesses being constricted opposite blind ends thereof for retaining the protruding members. This package does not have provision for receiving and holding a tray insert; more importantly, the pivotal connection is particularly subject to unwanted disengagement of the protruding members from the recesses.

Thus there is a need for a protective disk container generally in the jewel case configuration but formed of a resilient material, and that otherwise overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY

The present invention meets this need by providing a jewel case formed of a resilient material and having a pivotal connection between base and lid portions that is easy to assemble yet is not subject to inadvertent disengagement. In one aspect of the invention, a disk case includes a base formed of a resilient material and having a base panel portion and upstanding side walls, a receptacle formation proximate a rear extremity of each side wall, each receptacle formation including a main opening having a radially inwardly extending receptacle tab, a slot opening associated with the receptacle tab for permitting radially outward deflection of the receptacle tab, the slot opening being closed at both ends thereof, the case further including a lid having rearwardly projecting side tabs, each side tab having an inwardly projecting pivot boss, each pivot boss having a cylindrical outside profile including a groove for engaging the receptacle tab, wherein engagement of the receptacle tab with the groove is effective for resisting withdrawal of the pivot boss from the main opening of the receptacle formation. Preferably each pivot boss is formed with an end chamfer for facilitating entry of the pivot boss into the corresponding main opening, and for facilitating deflection of the receptacle tab. Further, the receptacle tab is preferably beveled radially and axially inwardly for facilitating outward deflection of the tab by the pivot boss.

Preferably each receptacle formation further includes a main ramp extending downwardly from an upper outside extremity of the side wall in alignment with the main opening, and each pivot boss further including a boss bevel for engaging the main ramp and outwardly deflecting the side tab during assembly of the lid onto the base.

The receptacle tab can be an upper receptacle tab, the main opening preferably also having an upwardly projecting bottom receptacle tab, and wherein the boss bevel intersects the groove of the pivot boss for facilitating insertion of the pivot boss into the main opening with the groove coming into alignment over the bottom receptacle tab, the lid being in a closed position. Further, when the lid is opened sufficiently for the bottom receptacle tab to be engaged by the groove, preferably the engagement of the bottom receptacle tab is effective for resisting withdrawal of the pivot boss from the main opening of the receptacle formation.

Preferably each of the side walls is formed having a pair of locating openings for receiving respective locating bosses of a disk tray. The locating bosses can be located on opposite sides of the main opening for receiving respective locating bosses of a hinged tray anchor portion. Preferably at least one of the locating openings has a secondary ramp aligned therewith at an upper inside surface of the associated side wall for facilitating insertion of the corresponding locating boss into the locating opening.

The resilient material of the case can include polypropylene.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disk case according to the present invention, the case having a base and a pivotably connectable lid;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the case of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective detail view within region 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail elevational view of the region shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective detail view within region 6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a detail elevational view of the region shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional detail view on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view on line 9-9 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view on line 10-10 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view on line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective detail view showing portions of the base and lid aligned for assembly;

FIG. 14 is a perspective detail view showing the base and lid portions in a state of partial engagement;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view showing the base and lid portions in a further state of partial engagement;

FIG. 16 is a detail elevational view showing the base and lid portions in the partially engaged state of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view as in FIG. 15, showing the base and lid in a fully engaged condition, the lid being in a closed position;

FIG. 18 is fragmentary sectional perspective view as in FIG. 17, showing the lid in an open position; and

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view showing a hinged insert seated in the case of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to a disk case that is compatible with flexible materials in a jewel case configuration, and that is particularly effective against unwanted separation of lid and base members. With reference to FIGS. 1-18 of the drawings, a disk case 10 is generally in a traditional jewel box configuration, including a base 12 and a pivotably connectable lid 14. The base 12 is formed having a base panel portion 16 and upstanding perimeter wall portions, designated left wall portion 17, right wall portion 18, front wall portion 19, and rear wall portion 20. According to the present invention, the left and right wall portions 17 and 18 each have a pivot receptacle formation 22 for receiving respective axially aligned pivot boss projections 24 of the lid 14, described below. FIGS. 3-5 show the pivot receptacle formation 22 of the right wall as viewed from inside the base 12; FIGS. 6-9 show the oppositely formed pivot receptacle formation 22 of the left wall 17 from outside the base 12.

As further described below, the boss projections 24 extend inwardly through respective main openings 26 of the receptacle formations 22, the receptacle formations being located within thinned regions 28 of the left and right side wall portions 17 and 18 as best shown in FIG. 3. The main openings 26 each have a pair of inwardly projecting cradle-shaped receptacle tabs, designated bottom receptacle tab 30 and upper receptacle tab 32 (and sometimes referred to as bottom tab 30 and upper tab 32), the upper tab 32 being oriented forwardly and upwardly oblique relative to the bottom tab 30 as best shown in FIG. 4. An important feature of the present invention is a slot opening 34 that is spaced radially outwardly from each of the upper receptacle tabs 32 for resiliently permitting outward deflection of the associated upper tab during insertion of the corresponding pivot boss 24 during assembly of the lid 14 with the base 12. Preferably the slots 34 are each closed at each end thereof for enhanced structural integrity, the length and proximity of the slots 34 to the associated upper tab 32 being effective for permitting a desired resistance to the radial deflection of the upper tabs 32.

Outside extremities of the main openings are chamfered as indicated at 36 in FIGS. 6-10, the tabs 30 and 32 being spaced inwardly from the chamfers and beveled radially and axially inwardly as indicated at 38 and as best shown in FIG. 8. The left and right side wall portions 17 and 18 are each formed with a main ramp 35 for facilitating assembly of the lid 14 with the base 12 as described below.

Each pivot boss 24 projects inwardly from rearwardly extending side tabs 40 of the lid 14, each boss 24 having a circularly cylindrical outside profile 42, a concentric groove 44, and an end chamfer 46. Each pivot boss 24 is also beveled downwardly and outwardly as indicated at 48, the boss bevel 48 intersecting the groove 44 as indicated at 49. The end chamfer 46 and the bevel 48, together with the chamfer 36 of the main opening 26 and the bevels 38 of the receptacle tabs 30 and 32, facilitate entry of the pivot bosses 24 into engagement with the pivot receptacles of the base 12 as further described herein.

FIGS. 13-17 show successive stages of assembly of the lid 14 with the base 12, FIG. 13 showing alignment of the lid above the base with the pivot boss 24 positioned over the main ramp 35. The lid 12 is then lowered onto the base 12 as indicated by the downward arrow in FIG. 13, with the side tabs 40 spread sufficiently for the boss bevels 48 of the pivot bosses 24 to contact the main ramps 35, the side tabs 40 being deflected farther outwardly by sliding engagement between the main ramps 35 and the boss bevels 48 during continued downward movement of the lid 14 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 14. Further downward movement of the lid 12 allows the pivot bosses to enter the main openings 26 of the pivot receptacle 22 as shown in FIG. 15, the end chamfer 46 of the pivot boss contacting the bevel 38 of the upper receptacle tab 32, the side tabs 40 having partially relaxed deflection as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 15.

Next, as the side tabs 40 are allowed to move inwardly (or pushed inwardly by external means, if necessary) toward to their relaxed positions, the upper receptacle tab 32 is deflected outwardly with narrowing of the slot opening 34, the end chamfer 46 of the pivot boss 24 displacing the bevel 38 of the upper receptacle tab, until the tab 32 is fully displaced and resting on the outside profile of the pivot boss between the end chamfer 46 and the groove 44 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. In FIG. 16, the pivot boss 24 is represented by heavier lines, the pivot receptacle by lighter lines. FIG. 17 shows the pivot boss 24 fully engaged with the pivot receptacle 22, the side tabs 40 having returned to the relaxed positions thereof. In this condition the upper receptacle tab has entered the groove 44 for effectively resisting disengagement of the pivot boss 24 from the pivot receptacle 22, the lid 14 being pivotally connected to the base 12. Also, the boss bevel 48 is aligned with the bottom receptacle tab 30, the resistance to disengagement (and disassembly of the lid 14 from the base 12) being provided by the upper receptacle tab only. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the above-described configuration of the case 10 is particularly suited for automated assembly, including lowering the lid 14 onto the base 12 while holding the parts in alignment with the side tabs 40 of the lid 12 spread slightly for the boss bevels 48 to initially contact the main ramps 35 and, if necessary, pressing the side tabs 40 of the lid 12 inwardly to the relaxed positions thereof when the lid is fully lowered with the pivot bosses 24 entering the main openings 26.

FIG. 18 shows the lid 14 in a partially open position with the boss bevel 38 aligned with the upper receptacle tab 32. In this position of the lid 14 there is greater resistance to disengagement in that the bottom receptacle tab 30 is now engaged in the groove, the tab 30 being more rigidly located, there being no slot opening associated therewith. It will be understood that in other open positions of the lid 14 there is even greater resistance to disengagement in that both bottom and upper receptacle tabs 30 and 32 are engaged within the groove 44.

The present invention thus provides a robust hinged connection of the lid 14 with the base 12 that is not subject to breakage in that the main opening 26 is closed (not a slot) and the slot opening 34 is closed at both ends. In the event that the case 10 in the closed condition is dropped, there is no likelihood of the lid 14 becoming detached from the base 12, and disassembly of the lid from the base is resisted by engagement of one or both of the receptacle tabs 30 and 32 on each side of the case engaging respective ones of the grooves 44 of the pivot basses 24.

With further reference to FIG. 19, the case 10 of the present invention is adapted for receiving a hinged tray 50 of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,671, the tray having a body portion 52 pivotally connected to an anchor portion 54. The left and right wall portions 17 and 18 of the base 12 are each formed having a pair of locating openings 56 spaced on opposite sides of respective main openings 26 as also shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, for example. The inside top regions of the left and right wall portions are also formed with secondary ramps 58 that are aligned with respective ones of the locating openings 50. The anchor portion 54 of the tray 50 is provided with a pair of locating bosses 60 (instead of a main locating boss that would otherwise interfere with the pivot bosses 24 of the lid 14), the locating bosses having snap engagement with the locating openings in the base 12 as shown in FIG. 19.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not necessarily be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 

1. A disk case for optical media, comprising: (a) a base formed of a resilient material and having a base panel portion and upstanding side walls, a receptacle formation proximate a rear extremity of each side wall, each receptacle formation comprising: (i) a main opening having a radially inwardly extending receptacle tab; (ii) a slot opening associated with the receptacle tab for permitting radially outward deflection of the receptacle tab, the slot opening being closed at both ends thereof; and (b) a lid having rearwardly projecting side tabs, each side tab having an inwardly projecting pivot boss, each pivot boss comprising a cylindrical outside profile including a groove for engaging the receptacle tab, wherein engagement of the receptacle tab with the groove is effective for resisting withdrawal of the pivot boss from the main opening of the receptacle formation.
 2. The disk case of claim 1, wherein each pivot boss is formed with an end chamfer for facilitating entry of the pivot boss into the corresponding main opening, and for facilitating deflection of the receptacle tab.
 3. The disk case of claim 2, wherein the receptacle tab is beveled radially and axially inwardly for further facilitating outward deflection of the tab by the pivot boss.
 4. The disk case of claim 1, wherein each receptacle formation further comprises a main ramp extending downwardly from an upper outside extremity of the side wall in alignment with the main opening, and each pivot boss further comprises a boss bevel for engaging the main ramp and outwardly deflecting the side tab during assembly of the lid onto the base.
 5. The disk case of claim 1, wherein the receptacle tab is an upper receptacle tab, the main opening also having an upwardly projecting bottom receptacle tab, and wherein the boss bevel intersects the groove of the pivot boss for facilitating insertion of the pivot boss into the main opening with the groove coming into alignment over the bottom receptacle tab, the lid being in a closed position.
 6. The disk case of claim 5, wherein, when the lid is opened sufficiently for the bottom receptacle tab to be engaged by the groove, the engagement of the bottom receptacle tab is effective for resisting withdrawal of the pivot boss from the main opening of the receptacle formation.
 7. The disk case of claim 1, wherein each of the side walls is formed having a pair of locating openings for receiving respective locating bosses of a disk tray.
 8. The disk case of claim 7, wherein the locating bosses are located on opposite sides of the main opening for receiving respective locating bosses of a hinged tray anchor portion.
 9. The disk case of claim 7, wherein at least one of the locating openings has a secondary ramp aligned therewith at an upper inside surface of the associated side wall for facilitating insertion of the corresponding locating boss into the locating opening.
 10. The disk case of claim 9, wherein each of the side walls is formed having a pair of secondary ramps aligned with respective ones of the locating openings.
 11. The disk case of claim 1, wherein the resilient material comprises polypropylene.
 12. A disk case for optical media, comprising: (a) a base formed of a resilient material and having a base panel portion and upstanding side walls, a receptacle formation proximate a rear extremity of each side wall, each receptacle formation comprising: (i) a main opening having a pair of inwardly extending receptacle tabs, including a rearwardly and downwardly extending upper receptacle tab, and an upwardly extending bottom receptacle tab, each of the receptacle tabs being beveled radially and axially inwardly; (ii) a slot opening associated with the upper receptacle tab for permitting radially outward deflection of the upper receptacle tab, the slot opening being closed at both ends thereof; and (iii) a main ramp extending downwardly from an upper outside extremity of the side wall in alignment with the main opening; and (b) a lid having rearwardly projecting side tabs, each side tab having an inwardly projecting pivot boss, each pivot boss comprising: (i) a cylindrical outside profile including a groove for engaging the receptacle tab, and an end chamfer for facilitating entry of the pivot boss into the corresponding main opening, and for facilitating deflection of the upper receptacle tab; and (ii) a boss bevel for engaging the main ramp and outwardly deflecting the side tab during assembly of the lid onto the base, the boss bevel intersecting the groove for facilitating insertion of the pivot boss into the main opening with the groove coming into alignment over the bottom receptacle tab, the lid being in a closed position, wherein engagement of one or both of the receptacle tabs with the groove is effective for resisting withdrawal of the pivot boss from the main opening of the receptacle formation.
 13. The disk case of claim 12, wherein each of the side walls is further formed having a pair of secondary openings located on opposite sides of the main opening for receiving respective locating bosses projecting from an anchor portion of a hinged tray to be received within the base. 